How Do We Compare? Michigan vs. Iowa

Game 4: Saturday, September 26, 2026 | Michigan vs. Iowa | Michigan Stadium | 3:30 PM

The Wolverines return to the Big House this week for a ranked Big Ten matchup with the No. 17 Iowa Hawkeyes. Michigan enters the game at 3-0 and ranked No. 18 after a 52-17 win over UTEP, including a dominant second half in which the Wolverines outscored the Miners 35-3.

Each week, as the Wolverines take the field, we take the matchup beyond the scoreboard by comparing Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County with the community behind Michigan's opponent. From football history to talent, innovation, affordability, and quality of place, we look at how the two sides compare on and off the field.

This week brings together two communities that are not often grouped together: Ann Arbor and Iowa City. Their scale, economies, and regional identities differ, but both are shaped in important ways by major Big Ten universities.

Ann Arbor & Iowa CityConnections

• Universities at the Center: The University of Michigan and University of Iowa are major anchors in their respective communities. U-M enrolls nearly 53,000 students, while Iowa enrolls more than 30,000, giving both places a strong university presence in their workforce, culture, and local economy.
• Research & Innovation: U-M reported $2.16 billion in university R&D expenditures in 2024, ranking No. 4 nationally. The University of Iowa reported $703.3 million, ranking No. 53.
• Highly Educated Communities: Ann Arbor stands out with 77.9% of adults age 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, while Iowa City also posts a strong 60.5%.
• A Literary Connection: Iowa City has an especially strong reputation for writing and literature, led by the internationally known Iowa Writers' Workshop. Ann Arbor has its own literary strength through U-M's Helen Zell Writers' Program, a fully funded MFA program in fiction and poetry.
• Big Ten Community Traditions: Football Saturdays are deeply embedded in both communities. Iowa is also known nationally for the Hawkeye Wave, when fans at Kinnick Stadium turn toward the neighboring children's hospital after the first quarter to wave to patients watching from the windows.

On the Field

Saturday will mark the 65th meeting between Michigan and Iowa.

Michigan leads the all-time series 45-15-4, but the recent history is much more even. The Wolverines and Hawkeyes have split their last 10 meetings, 5-5, making this far from an automatic win.

The series also includes some memorable extremes. Michigan's largest victory came in 1902, when the Wolverines defeated Iowa 107-0, while Iowa's largest win over Michigan was a 26-0 victory in 1984.

Michigan won the most recent meeting, defeating Iowa 26-0 in the 2023 Big Ten Championship Game on the Wolverines' way to the national championship.

Off the Field

Ann Arbor is the larger of the two cities, with a population of more than 122,000, compared with about 76,000 in Iowa City.

The communities are relatively close in overall cost of living. Ann Arbor has a Cost of Living Index of 99.7, while Iowa City comes in at 97.7.

Both cities have highly educated populations. In Ann Arbor, 77.9% of adults age 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while the share in Iowa City is also substantial at 60.5%.

The universities also operate at different scales. U-M enrolls 52,855 students and reported $2.16 billion in R&D expenditures, while the University of Iowa enrolls 30,779 students and reported $703.3 million.

Both institutions receive national recognition as well. U-M ranks No. 3 among public universities, while Iowa ranks No. 49.

The Bigger Picture

Ann Arbor and Iowa City may not be obvious regional peers, but the comparison reveals some interesting common ground.

Both are university-centered communities with highly educated populations, significant research activity, strong arts and cultural assets, and a close connection between campus and community. At the same time, the differences in population, research scale, and regional identity make the comparison all the more interesting.

On the field, the matchup may be even closer. Michigan owns the historical advantage, but a 5-5 split over the last 10 meetings suggests Saturday could add another competitive chapter to a series that dates back more than a century.

Go Blue!

Considering a location or expansion in the Ann Arbor region? Our business development team can connect you with the data, resources, and local insights you need to evaluate Washtenaw County.